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Panic as four hikers go missing in Aberdares – PHOTOS


A group of four hikers have gone missing after a botched Aberdares Hills trek.

According to the Bucketlist Travels, the organisers of the hike, a group of 60 hikers ascended the densely forested Aberdare Hill ranges from Rurimeria side in Kinangop on Saturday morning.

They were to make their way to the top of the ranges and descend the same day. However, at the base three hikers and a guide were unaccounted for.

Police have identified the three missing hikers as Rachel Ng’endo, Kelvin Kimani and Eunice Wanjiru. The missing guide has been identified as  Joseph Mwangi.

“In light of the four hikers still at larger, Bucketlist Travels Head of Business, Associates and Head Guide set out to look for them. Searches have been conducted on all trails much of Saturday night and Sunday. With the help of Kenya Wildlife Service and Kenya Police Service, a helicopter search and rescue team was dispatched but it was again unsuccessful. The local residents are also helping in the search mission,” a statement from the company read in part.

Members of the public outside Gate's chief office during the start of the search and rescue mission. PHOTO | ERIC MATAARA
Members of the public outside Gate’s chief office during the start of the search and rescue mission. PHOTO | ERIC MATAARA

Dennis Kamau, a Bucketlist Travel official, told Nairobi News that they expect to have “positive news later in the day.”

AERIAL SUPPORT

Speaking on phone from the base in Nyadarua County, he said that KWS and the police have been helping in the search and rescue mission and have availed helicopters for aerial support.

He said that this was not the first case of hikers getting lost in the cold and thick woods of Aberdare hills, a popular hiking trail for many mountaineers.

“In the past we’ve had cases of hikers getting lost but they were quickly located and rescued,” he added.

He however was non-committal on possible reasons for the group’s disapperance.

“It might have been anything. It was foggy and it was getting dark and they might have wandered off the trail. We can’t say anything much at this time.”

Search and rescue mission is still in progress.

More details to follow.